Minister Save Retirement For Christmas Eve

Published: December 24, 1999 12:00AM

The Christmas Eve candlelight service traditionally marks the finale of the Advent season, but at St. Peter's United Church of Christ in Apple Creek, the candles glowing in the darkened sanctuary also will bid farewell to a good friend.

Roy V. Wagner, 65, who came to the Apple Creek congregation in 1991, chose Christmas Eve to end his tenure because it is his favorite service. It will be held tonight at 7:30.

There is "a specialness" about the candlelight service that brings families and friends together to worship, Wagner said.

"I grew up with candlelight services on Christmas Eve and I just love it," he said. "It's kind of a reunion time for old friends. It's fun to watch people greet each other who haven't seen each other for a long time. It's a family time, too."

Wagner's last service for the church that lists a membership of about 250 will be enhanced by the presence of his own family -- Judy, his wife of 40 years; son, Christopher of Ypsilanti, Mich.; and daughter, Sara Koon, of Troy.

The Wagners, who live in Wooster, are retiring after 38 years in the ministry.

"Helping people to cope spiritually with illnesses and the difficult times in their lives" and "helping people to discover the healing power and love of God" made the ministry rewarding, Wagner said. He especially enjoys weddings and baptisms.

At times, his experiences have been challenging and sometimes unusual, like the time he was called upon to perform a wedding in the emergency bay of a hospital when the groom, dressed in his tuxedo, broke his leg just before the ceremony.

A minister's duties keep him on call 24 hours a day and take him to his members' homes, to hospitals and jails, he said. He has been called on at 3 a.m. to console and lend support to families who have lost a loved one.

His first funeral service, conducted while he was still a student, was "challenging" and "a hard one to start with," because it was for a non-Christian, he said.

Even after 38 years, writing sermons never got easier, but he based most of the topics on the weekly Bible Scriptures suggested in the Lectionary. "I try to start early in the week and finish by Friday. The goal is for my sermons to relate to everyday life and events, and I try to use illustrations and some humor," he said.

The organist and choir director choose the music for the choir each Sunday, but Wagner selects the hymns for the congregation. "When possible," he said, "the hymns are coordinated with the Scripture and the theme."

A Newark native and graduate of Newark High School, Wagner was inspired to the ministry by the dedication and personal interest of the pastor of his home church. He graduated from Heidelberg College in Tiffin and earned his Masters of Divinity degree from Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis, Mo.

Wagner's first church assignment in Bay City launched a 30-year career in Michigan, including Grand Haven and Clinton.

"I enjoyed Michigan -- it's a beautiful state. We did a lot of camping, made a lot of friends and our kids grew up there. But I always wanted to come back to Ohio," Wagner said.

Eight years ago, the opportunity arrived and Wagner moved "back home" to serve the pulpit at St. Peter's church in Apple Creek. He has never regretted this decision and plans to stay in touch with church members "as friends."

Tears shed at the candlelight service will reflect the years of happiness shared with St. Peter's congregation, Wagner says.

Community involvement has played an important part in Wagner's life in Wayne County. He has served the Wayne United Chaplain Ministries as a board member, and as chairperson for the Justice Center Chaplaincy, meeting with and lending support to the hospital chaplain.

First on the Wagners' retirement agenda is a trip to Hawaii, which is a place the couple has "always wanted to go." They plan to take advantage of more time for traveling, gardening and golfing. Wagner says he may later serve as an interim pastor and be involved in other facets of ministry.